Nicole Black is currently the Program Director for MedTech Innovator, a nonprofit and the world's largest accelerator for medical device, digital health, and diagnostic companies. She was formerly Vice President of Biomaterials and Innovation for Desktop Health, a healthcare division of Desktop Metal, where she led an R&D team to bring innovative 3D printed medical devices to patients. Nicole graduated with her PhD from Harvard University in 2020, having conducted her thesis in the labs of Professor Jennifer Lewis in the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and Dr. Aaron Remenschneider at Mass Eye and Ear hospital. During graduate school, Nicole focused on developing biomimetic tympanic membrane (eardrum) grafts using novel materials and 3D printing technologies. Following graduate school, Nicole served as a Gliklich Healthcare Innovation Fellow at Mass Eye and Ear and co-founded Beacon Bio, a startup company branched from her PhD work. Nicole led the acquisition of Beacon Bio by Desktop Metal in summer 2021 as President and CEO, and her team is now working to the PhonoGraft device to patients.
Can help with
- Storytelling - Strategic partnerships - SBIR grants - Non-dilutive funding - Team building - Co-founding with professors/advisors - Go-to-market strategy in MedTech - 510(k) process for medical devices - FDA Pre-Sub process - Biocompatibility testing plans - Extractables & leachables plan - Animal testing - Human confirmatory study planning - Fundraising - Exit strategies
